


And Today Could Be Different

by ladyofdecember



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Could be considered pre-ZADR, Friendship/Love, M/M, Shopping Malls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 07:31:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12228372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyofdecember/pseuds/ladyofdecember
Summary: Summer means no skool and that means finding creative ways to "study" humans and if that means time with Dib then so be it. Or, Zim is very sneaky at getting Dib to spend time with him.





	And Today Could Be Different

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what this is. I just wanted a happy fic where Zim and Dib hang out and do "normal human wormbaby" things.

Dib was currently going about his morning getting ready for a brand new day. Though his enthusiasm for the prospects of what a “new day” entails were very low, he supposed that he should take an optimistic approach for once.

That was why he was ambling* into his shower, turning on the warm water to wash his hair and soap up his body, a “normal” activity for most, Dib had been neglecting this as of late. Once clean and standing before a foggy mirror, he used his palm to wipe away some of the condensation so he could see himself again.

He immediately frowned at his reflection, obviously unhappy with everything he was seeing. But no, not today, today he would be positive. Today would be different.

…

After he'd dressed in his long-time favorite outfit, just a simple tee and some worn out jeans, he'd headed down the stairs only to bump into his sister. This wasn't a problem however as she had her large sound canceling headphones on, zombie-like in her motions of getting a soda from the fridge while her eyes never left her GameSlave.

Dib ignored her as she did him, not wanting to start an argument which would no doubt make him late. He too grabbed a soda just for something to drink before he headed out. He paused in the open door of the refrigerator pensively*. Reconsidering the icy cold metal can, he gingerly placed it back on the shelf and went about getting a glass of water instead. Healthy choices today, he reminded himself, smiling just a little.

His phone sounded with a high pitched beeping and so he made quick work of gulping down the liquid to check the message he'd received.

Of course it was Zim, who else would text him?

Of course he was angry and impatient, insisting he was late. They'd made plans for 11am but it was only a little after 10:30am now.

Dib rolled his eyes, shot a quick reply back that he'd be there soon and headed out his front door.

If Gaz noticed from her place on the couch, she didn't say a word. He wasn't even sure their father was home but if he had been, he wouldn't have cared he was leaving either way.

…

The mall on the south side of town was jam-packed today for some reason. Dib blamed the summer holiday and mused that everyone else from skool must have had the same idea as he and Zim, flocking to the mall to wander about aimlessly and lounge in the food court.

Passing by the numerous cars in the packed parking lot, he headed inside behind a group of giggling teenage girls, though they paid him no mind at all.

Heading to the food court first seemed the most likely place to spot the alien. After all, food courts were a favorite of his species. Dib chuckled at the silliness of it all.

Adjusting his glasses as they slipped down his nose, he searched the crowd before him for a familiar green face in a really bad wig. He heard him before he saw him and idly wondered just how often that had been the case in times before.

Struggling to get past a group of middle aged women gossiping in the obvious walking space, Dib sighed in frustration as he attempted to maneuver around them. Zim had spotted him as well and looked cross, standing there with arms folded and tapping his boot.

“'Scuse me!” He finally shouted in frustration, causing the “leader” to jump slightly as if just noticing him.

He used the moment to rush between them, barely listening to their irritated response as he sauntered off towards Zim.

“Hey... “ He said casually with a smile only to be greeted with a glare.

“Why were you so late?! You made me wait here with these... these humans.” The irken spat, voice saturated with venom.

Dib rolled his eyes. “Okay, first of all, I'm human. Second, we said eleven and it's only just now eleven! So... suck it.”

“What do you intend for me to suck?” Zim asked, anger momentarily forgotten as he became preoccupied with his ongoing struggle with the english language.

Dib blushed and shook his head. “Never mind! Look, what did you want to come here for anyway?”

“This is a normal summer activity, Dib-thing. We are... blending in.”

The teen chuckled at the absurdity. “I... don't need to blend in. I'm a human, remember?” Zim glared at him but he waved it off and quickly continued. “I get it. I know. You just... wanted to come here. You don't have to make up excuses with me, ya know. Let's... let's go walk around.”

He turned towards the main hall and eyed the various stores littered along them, expecting the irken to follow closely behind. After taking only a few steps however, he looked back and noticed the alien had disappeared.

Only slightly worried, he circled back to scan the food court area. He spotted the alien at one of the restaurants, if you could even call them that. He was ordering one of those giant pretzels when Dib sidled up to him.

“You're not gonna like that you know.” He shrugged.

Zim smirked. “Just wait.”

They watched the teen behind the counter gently begin to drizzle it in some kind of sugary substance causing Zim to run his lizard-like tongue across his lipless mouth.

“Here ya go!” The cashier said, handing a comically large pretzel over to him.

They began walking away as the alien chowed down. 

“That's... really big. You sure you're going to finish all of that?”

Zim side-eyed him. “You can't have any, Dib-thing.”

“What? No, I... I don't want any. I'm... I'm just saying.”

“I said none for the Dib-stink!”

“I... I don't want any, geez!”

They began walking past the various stores, Zim slurping obnoxiously as he chomped into the breaded dessert. Dib eyed the glistening treat with envy. 

“Ya know, too much of that bread and you're gonna be really sick. They do put water in it, ya know.” Dib tried once again only to stop in shock as the irken sighed and handed the pretzel to him. “Wha?”

“You're a baby. Why Dib... have some of my pretzel, why don't you?” Zim said almost robotically, clearly trying out his manners on his friend though the statement sounded very forced.

Dib smiled. “Why thank you Zim! That's very nice of you!” As he took a small bite, he felt it ripped away from him once more.

“That's enough for you!”

“Hey!”

…

The rest of the day was very uneventful. They walked and walked, just chatting about this and that, the people they saw and stopping every once in a while when they saw a particularly interesting window display.

Zim actually tried on clothes for once, much to Dib's surprise. He'd mentioned something about needing something that looked more like what their peers wore. The bespectacled boy rolled his eyes at this and muttered something about conformity, not that the irken was listening.

Now armed with shopping bags in each hand, the alien suggested they leave the “shopping building” and go somewhere else as it was becoming boring now.

Dib suggested a coffee shop he'd wanted to check out nearby only to be chastised that coffee had water and thus he'd be unable to drink said coffee. The teen then suggested getting food at Bloaty's Pizza only to be met with a look of horror by the alien.

“That... pig!” Zim gasped as he stared at his friend. “ZIM WILL NEVER RETURN THERE!”

A few people stared at them as they exited the mall and headed towards the parking lot but Dib tried to ignore them. “Alright, fine, then where do you want to go?” He was growing weary with the alien's demands and negativity. Why did he even hang out with him? Oh yeah, that's right.

He was the only person willing to spend any time with him. And he wasn't even a person!

“Zim has ideas.”

…

They ended up at a greasy diner of all places. Dib made a face at how sticky their booth was and grumbled that his coffeehouse idea was way better.

The waitress that took their drink order smiled happily down at them as they each gave their order. Dib ordered them both waters, silencing Zim with a single finger when he immediately began to angrily protest. She scampered away, promising to be back in a few minutes.

“I just ordered you water since you can't drink anything here.”

“Then why would you order anything, Dib-stink?!”

Dib glared at him, crumbling the paper from his straw in frustration. “Would you stop calling me that?!”

“It is your name.”

“My name is Dib!”

Zim shrugged and turned to face the rest of the patrons in the diner, growing bored with their conversation.

“I ordered you water because it'd look weird if you just ordered nothing which I know you're going to do anyway and really why are we here if you aren't going to eat?”

“Zim will eat. Zim wants to have a normal summer. This is what... people do, right?

The alien faced him fully again, staring into his eyes almost insecurely and it was then that Dib realized just what the alien's plans were. He smiled at him, calming down a bit and wanting to convey reassurance in his voice.

“Yeah. This is what people do. They... hang out, they have fun with their friends. They just... ya know, waste time enjoying themselves and the summer.”

Zim smirked as if he'd figured out some kind of riddle. “Zim knew it.”

“Yeah, your... “research” is really coming along.”

“Well, of course, Zim knows all.”

The waitress brought them their waters and began to take their order. Dib ordered just a simple basket of french fries whereas Zim surprised him once again and ordered the waffle platter. He even made sure to ask for maple syrup.

When she was gone, Dib smirked at him. “Waffles, huh? Sugary sweet stuff.”

“It is what Zim likes. It is... one of the few things Zim can ingest on this... “ He paused, as if to hurl an insult his way but then thought better of it. He straightened up in his seat. “This planet.”

Dib smiled at him, musing to himself, maybe today was different.

They spent a few hours there, eating and chatting and just enjoying each other's company, only leaving once it became dark out.

With no skool to worry about and nowhere really to be, they took their time parting ways at the street that parted their two neighborhoods.

On the way home, Dib thought to himself about what other “research” the two could tackle together. Perhaps a movie? Maybe a carnival?

He'd put together a proposal and bring it up to Zim at their next meeting. You know, for science.


End file.
